Hundreds of thousands of people are getting vaccinated against coronavirus each day in the UK.
The government is working through a priority list set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to ensure that those most at risk from coronavirus are protected first.
So far, the NHS had administered jabs to millions of elderly people, health and social workers and those who are deemed to be extremely clinically vulnerable.
The government expects the first phase of the vaccination programme to see everybody in the UK over the age of 50 offered a vaccine by April 15.
The majority of adults under the age of 50 will have to wait until the second phase of the vaccination programme for their jabs - but there are some health conditions that could put you higher up the priority list.
There are nine groups to be vaccinated in phase one (before April 15), and group six includes all adults over 16 who have certain underlying health conditions.
But exactly which health conditions will put you into group six and onto the vaccine priority list?
According to the government, the following conditions will place you in group six:
- a blood cancer (such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma)
- diabetes
- dementia
- a heart problem
- a chest complaint or breathing difficulties, including bronchitis, emphysema or severe asthma
- a kidney disease
- a liver disease
- lowered immunity due to disease or treatment (such as HIV infection, steroid medication, chemotherapy or radiotherapy)
- rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or psoriasis
- have had an organ transplant
- had a stroke or a transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
- a neurological or muscle wasting condition
- a severe or profound learning disability
- a problem with your spleen, example sickle cell disease, or you have had your spleen removed
- are seriously overweight (BMI of 40 and above)
- are severely mentally ill
People with Down’s syndrome are classed as clinically extremely vulnerable, and are in group four of phase one.
This week, the government confirmed that anyone on the the GP Learning Disability Register – as well as adults with other related conditions, including cerebral palsy – are eligible for vaccination as part of priority group six.
This will mean at least 150,000 more people with learning disabilities will now be offered the vaccine more quickly.
The JVCI is yet to announce how the priority list will be laid out for phase two of the vaccination programme, when all adults under 50 will be able to get vaccinated.
The government has said that it hopes every adult over 16 in the UK will have been offered a jab by July 31.
